Film Technology Research

1. What are the advantages of digital projection for the consumers?
There is a special quality which is "unrivalled by any other media", and it uses "35mm film". It is very simple to upload and just involves a one-button push from being digitally uploaded. The main advantage is the picture quality, every imperfection gets shown as the 35 mm print passes through the projector, including scratches, fluff, blotches etc. With a digital projector linked to a server there are no more stray hairs, scratches or dust - just a crystal clear picture.

2. Why has there been a slow take-up?
It's been a question of agreeing in advance, industries have had to build a consensus, and agree business models and technology to be used, and it took longer than most people expected.

3. Why is 'Hollywood' driving this technological change?
They stand to make enormous savings, which they are able to pass on to cinemas themselves. The most obvious saving is in distibution costs. Distributing movies digitally means they can be encrypted before they even leave the studios, and then unlocked by software at the cinemas themselves, which will prevent piracy, which Hollywood claims has cost it $6bn (£3.2bn).

4. What does digital projection offer in the way of the "future" for cinemas?
In the future, the possibility of delivering the movie by satellite or over the net has got the "bean counters salivating". 3D could be able to return to our screens as well. With a digital projector you can input virtually anything into it - they can screen a DVD, a clip downloaded from YouTube, gaming from a digital projector with multiple players on the screen at the same time, a live feed from satellite, cable etc. Digital movies can be streamed from the server to different screens at the same time; or alternatively a variety of movies can be shown on the same screen throughout the course of a day.

5. Extended question: how is digital distribution changing the way we consume other media?
With technology available to recreate old classics, as well as show sporting events, in 3D there is a real feeling that 3D is finally coming of age.